Dental implant -carrier assembly

ABSTRACT

The taper ( 2 ) where the threaded section of the implant ( 1 ) begins and the position of the straight cutting edge of the apical end ( 3 ) can be adjusted, thus making the thread more effective and improving the initial implant position. The holder casing ( 7 ) incorporates a hexagonal abutment ( 8, 9 ) and the shaft incorporates an O-ring seal ( 14 ).

[0001] The invention refers to a dental implant fixture to be located in the area of the implant. The fixture is of the type described in reference WO-A-99/18881.

[0002] With respect to the implant described therein, it has been observed that certain features could be improved by increasing its initial stability, facilitating the efficiency of the apical end of the tooth and by providing a range of implants so it could be applied as standard and used specifically to replace any dental piece.

[0003] Furthermore, there are several disadvantages in using the fixtures in these implants, the function of which is to ensure that the implants fit into the correct position in the mouth.

[0004] These fixtures consist of three basic parts; the casing, screw and holder. The casing is hollow and is located on the hexagonal end of the implant. A screw passes through the hollow and threads into the internal axial cavity of the implant, holding the casing in place on the implant. The screw projects out of the casing to form an abutment to which the holder is connected.

[0005] In existing fixtures there is no means of holding the connection between the abutment and the holder in place, thus making it difficult to move the implant.

[0006] In other cases, the connection is established by mechanical means. The disadvantage of this, however, is that even if the implant can be moved correctly, it is difficult to extract the holder with the risk that if it is forced the implant may be moved out of position or the initial stability lost.

[0007] It is an object of this invention to offer the following advantages:

[0008] provide greater initial implant stability

[0009] increase implant thread capability

[0010] create a variety of implant sizes so that the implants can be adjusted to any dental piece

[0011] facilitate movement of the implant and enable it to be correctly positioned to begin with

[0012] for the fixture to act as a reference so that all implants can be positioned with the hexagon in the same position, thus making the orthodontist's work easier.

[0013] To achieve these objectives, the implant that showed pairs of cutting edges on its apical end can be modified by slightly inclining each straight cutting edge. Thus, while in the case of WO-A-99/18881 the straight cutting edge operated in a radial direction in relation to the centre of the implant, in this case each straight cutting edge maintains its position at its end and leans back at a slight angle, so that it is the aforementioned end that cuts into in the bone initially and advances gradually to make the threading softer and less aggressive. The lean-back angle of these straight cutting edges ranges from 0° to 20°.

[0014] The side of this threaded portion appears in the upper section—the head out of which the hexagonal abutment projects and the lower threaded area—and has a taper of between 50 and 65°, with tests having been carried out that show that this degree of tapering in this area creates greater initial stability once the implant has been threaded in, without causing a significant increase in the distribution of stresses and even decreasing them.

[0015] As stated above, the general sizes of the implant are also modified, with the two above-mentioned features being retained as standard features thus creating a standard implant or implant type. Another two features can be applied to lower incisors and to molars respectively as well as another one that has been specially designed for hard and very hard bones, which we shall look at in more detail later.

[0016] The upper head in the standard implant has a diameter of 4.1 mm, and the upper hexagon measures 2.7 mm between faces and is 0.7 mm high, while the threaded section can have a diameter of 3.3, 3.75 and 4 mm.

[0017] The diameter of the incisor implant head is 3.6 mm, and the hexagon measures between 2.4 and 2.6 mm between faces and is 1 mm high. The diameter of the threaded section is 3.3 mm.

[0018] The diameter of the molar implant head is 5.5 mm, and the hexagon measures between 2.7 and 3.5 mm between faces and is between 0.7 and 1.2 mm high. The threaded section can have a diameter of 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6mm.

[0019] It should also be pointed out that improvements can be made to the way that these implants behave, particularly when they are used to carry out work on patients with hard or very hard bones, by making a more aggressive and therefore more effective cut, allowing excess bone from the operation to be removed more easily.

[0020] According to this invention, the implant shows the cuts it makes, which begin right on the flat part of the apical end, before extending for a certain distance in a radial direction.

[0021] The aforementioned cuts stop some way short from the position corresponding to the base of the tapered threaded section, thus creating enough space between these two positions to allow the excess bone to move out normally towards the removal area behind each cut, which, in existing implants, is in the form of a tapered convex shape pointing outwards.

[0022] Standard sizes have also been discovered that will make the implant function better, all of which are based on the aforementioned features. These refer to the length of the implant, the angles of the tapered threaded sections and the removal areas as well as the length of the implant's tapered threaded sections.

[0023] These sizes are adjusted according to the following measurements:

[0024] L. length of the implant in

[0025] C. Length of the tapered threaded section in

[0026] α Angle of the tapered threaded section

[0027] β Angle of the removal area L C α β 8.5 2.9   9° 4.2° 10 2.9   9° 4.2° 11.5 4.6 5.22° 3.3° 13 4.6 5.22° 3.3° 15 4.6 5.22° 3.3° 18 4.6 5.22° 3.3° 20 4.6 5.22° 3.3°

[0028] The fixture has two specific features. One of these is a hexagonal abutment on the outer end of the casing, the position of which coincides with the casing's hexagonal cavity, and which receives the hexagonal end of the implant.

[0029] Thus, when the fixture positions the implant in the desired place, the position of the casing abutment will correspond with the hexagonal abutment of the implant in such a way that it enables the implants to be situated in an identical position, with all the prosthodontic advantages that this brings with it.

[0030] For its part, the projecting part of the screw, which is enveloped by the holder, has an annular neck into which an O-ring seal made of suitable material is fitted. When the holder envelops this end of the screw, the O-ring seal fixes the implant, the casing and the screw in position. The holder can be removed from the screw when required without any difficulty whatsoever, meaning that the position and the stability of the implant will not be affected in any way.

[0031] The threaded portion of the implant can incorporate a double thread to enable it to be screwed more quickly into the patient's bone.

[0032] The speed with which the implant is screwed in will, in any case, depend on the circumstances.

[0033] The measurements of the holder will be adjusted to those of the implant. Each implant will thus have a corresponding holder, although the features set out in the invention and described above will be retained.

[0034] These and other aspects of the invention can be seen in greater detail in the drawings attached, details of which are given below:

[0035]FIG. 1 is an elevation of the implant according to the invention.

[0036]FIG. 2 is a lower view of FIG. 1

[0037]FIG. 3 is an upper view of FIG. 1

[0038]FIG. 4 is a mid-section elevation of the fixture casing, according to the invention.

[0039]FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 4 from the right.

[0040]FIG. 6 is a view of FIG. 5 from the left.

[0041]FIG. 7 is an elevation of the fixture shaft.

[0042]FIG. 8 is a view of FIG. 7 from the left.

[0043]FIG. 9 is an elevation of the holder, with a cross-section of the left end.

[0044]FIG. 10 is a view of FIG. 9 from the left.

[0045]FIG. 11 is an elevation of an implant for hard or very hard bones, according to the invention.

[0046]FIG. 12 is a view from above of FIG. 11.

[0047] As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the implant consists of a threaded section (1), an apical end (3), and an upper section comprising the head (5) and the external hexagon (4) to facilitate its threading and prosthodontic reconstruction. The head (5) is connected to the body (1) at the tapered section (2), which has a taper of between 48 and 65°, according to the claims, and a cylindrical section of 0.5 mm.

[0048] In FIG. 2 we can see the line or straight cutting edge (6) of the apical end. The figure shows that it is separated from the radial position in such a way that the end that is furthest away projects forward to make the cut, and does so by rotating in an anti-clockwise direction according to the position in FIG. 2.

[0049] The fact that this line (6) is inclined at an angle of between 0 and 20° in relation to the radial position and the anti-clockwise direction of the rotation means that it enters more deeply when it begins cutting and does so more gradually and smoothly, but also more effectively, which is the aim of the invention.

[0050] In FIG. 1 we can also see the blind threaded hole (13), which extends axially from the hexagon end (4), with said hole and hexagon being the features that are typically used to position the screw and the casing of the holder and the prosthodontic components.

[0051] To achieve this the casing (7) in FIG. 4 is positioned in such a way that its hexagonal cavity encases the implant hexagon (4), while the screw (11) in FIG. 7 passes through the casing (7) so that its threaded end (12) can be screwed into the threaded implant cavity (13). On being introduced into the cavity, the threaded section (12) of the screw (11) travels down the internal threaded section (17) of the casing, thus guiding the screw into place.

[0052] In conventional implants, when the casing and the screw have been mounted on the implant, the end (16) of the screw (11) projects outwards. This end (16) is then housed in the interior (20) of the section (19) of the holder (17) of FIG. 9, so that when a suitable means is used, for example, connected to the end (18), it moves the fixture into the desired position.

[0053] By this invention the hexagonal end (8, 9) is housed in the casing. The faces of the hexagonal end fit in with the hexagonal faces of the cavity (10) of said casing and also coincide, therefore, with the faces of the implant hexagon (4) itself.

[0054] The fact that the position of the hexagonal faces of the aforementioned parts coincides shows us that, irrespective of the condition of the fixture, there will always be a valid reference indicating the exact position of the implant hexagon (4).

[0055] Whilst the fixture is being moved, the hexagonal area (8) of the casing provides this positional reference. When the holder (11) is removed, the reference is provided by the hexagonal area (8) and the hexagon (9) of said casing. This means that the position occupied by the implant hexagon (4) will always be able to be identified.

[0056] Moreover, in FIG. 7 we can see the shaft (11) fitted with the annular seal (14), housed in a neck between its end (16) and the abutment (15). When this end (15, 16) is housed in the interior (20) of the holder, the O-ring seal (14) presses against the inner walls of the cavity of the holder thus keeping the fixture perfectly in position.

[0057] Once the fixture has been moved and positioned as desired all that is required is to remove the holder (11). The pressure exerted by the O-ring seal (14) allows this to be done easily and smoothly.

[0058] These structural modifications enable the dental implant fixture to provide significantly improved performance, thus meeting the objectives of the invention.

[0059] The flat apical end (21) of the implant (27) can be seen in FIG. 11. With existing techniques the laterals protrude from the surface of the apical end. This section crowns the tapered threaded section (22) that extends up to the end (26). Generally, the implant runs from this end to its lower hexagonal end where it connects with the implant lever arm. The head of the implant and the hex, which are not numbered, can be seen at this end.

[0060] In this particular case, and as detailed in FIG. 12, we can see the four cutting sections (24), which radiate out from the upper bevel (21) until they come to a circular section (29) at a certain distance from the edge (26). This gap directs the cut bone to the removal area (28) behind the cutting sections (24).

[0061] The tapered threaded section (22) runs from the circular end (29) and vertical wall (25), to the cutting section (24) and behind it up to the tapered convex removal area (28).

[0062] The angles (α) and (β) in FIG. 11 determine the measurements of the taper of the threaded section (22) and the removal area (28).

[0063] As the implant head has diameters of 4.1 mm or 5.5 mm and the hexagon can protrude above this head by 0.7 mm or between 0.7 and 1.2 mm, the invention can evidently be applied to the technique outlined in the reports quoted at the beginning of this document. 

1. A dental implant fixture consisting of an implant with a threaded section (1), an apical end (3) with cutting edges-one of which is straight and which radiates out from the centre—a head (5), a hexagon (4) protruding out of the head, an axial cavity and an open blind threaded cavity (13). The implant has a casing (7) mounted on the hexagon (4) and a shaft (11) with a threaded end (12) that passes through the casing and is fixed into the implant cavity (13). This shaft has a free end, which is operated by a holder (17) with the following features: The area connecting the implant head (5) to the threaded section of the implant (1) has a taper of between 48 and 65°, The straight cutting edge (6) of the apical end of the implant is inclined in relation to its theoretical radial position at an angle of between 0 and 20°, with the outermost end of the edge the part that first makes contact with the area to be cut, The upper head in the standard implant has a diameter of 4.1 mm, and the upper hexagon measures 2.7 mm between faces and is 0.7 mm high, while the threaded section can have a diameter of 3.3, 3.75 and 4 mm., An abutment projecting out of the casing (7) consisting of a hexagonal projection (9) situated on a hexagonal base (8). The sides of both features are in line with each other and with the faces of the implant hexagon an O-ring seal (14) made of suitable material and positioned on the projecting end (15, 16) of the fixture shaft (11) and which is housed in the cavity (20) of the holder (17).
 2. The dental implant fixture according to claim 1 wherein in its application to incisors the diameter of the implant head (5) is 3.6 mm, the hexagon (4) measures between 2.4 and 2.6 mm between faces and is 1 mm high, and the diameter of the threaded section (1) is 3.3 mm.
 3. The dental implant fixture according to claim 1 wherein in its application to molars the diameter of the implant head (5) is 5.5 mm, the hexagon (4) measures between 2.7 and 3.5 mm between faces and is between 0.7 and 1.2 mm high, and the threaded section (1) can have a diameter of 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5 and 6 mm.
 4. The dental implant fixture according to claims 1 to 3 wherein the cutting sections (24) of the implant radiate out from the flat circular area (21) and are crowned by circular ends (29) set in a clockwise direction behind said cutting sections and from which the tapered threaded section of the outer sides of the teeth begins. Here the taper of the threaded lateral section is determined by a generator angle of between 9 and 5.21°, in relation to the vertical while the generator angle of the tapered section is set at between 4.2 and 3.3° in relation to the vertical, with these values being adjusted to total implant lengths ranging from 8.5 to 20 mm and to the lengths of the tapered threaded section, which range from 2.9 to 4.6 mm.
 5. The dental implant fixture according to all the aforementioned claims wherein the sizes of the fixture are adjusted according to each implant. 